


like ships in the night, we never collide

by blackpercy



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Anyways, F/M, KAJNDAKJN, fair warning there's mention of making out, i didnt describe it or anything akdnjnkja, imagine if perachel had become canon but only right before they go to college, the description is misleading rachel's teasing him, this is it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:16:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27281812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackpercy/pseuds/blackpercy
Summary: “This doesn’t absolve you of my rage,” she begins slowly. Percy’s chest rises and falls with a silent laugh. “But I think I get it. And I’m sorry for just kissing you out of the blue like that.”“Don’t be,” Percy hums. “It was...it was a good kiss.”“Really?”“Yeah.”“Wanna makeout?”
Relationships: Annabeth Chase & Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase & Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Rachel Elizabeth Dare/Percy Jackson
Kudos: 18





	like ships in the night, we never collide

**Author's Note:**

> basically, rachel and percy made out at a party then percy ghosted her for a week and she's pissed and confused because of that. annabeth acts as the wingman.. for who? both.

In all her eighteen years of life, Rachel had never met a guy as baffling as Percy Jackson.

She would (unironically) describe their relationship as similar to the waves of the ocean. They wax and wane in the other’s direction, trying to find common ground before pulling back. Like they’re reaching out to each other, their hands brushing for one glorious, hopeful, second before they fall.

And they _always_ fall hard.

Rachel sits on the docks, trying to make sense of last week’s events as she gazes at the waters. They shouldn’t have even been out of camp, but Connor wanted to throw a rager before they all went to college and Rachel’s giant mansion had been deemed the location. 

Somehow, she and Percy had found a moment of peace in her bedroom. Percy had smiled and talked about how it was “too loud”, Rachel had agreed. She loved parties, but that one had a particular air of melancholy that she wasn’t too fond of.

They had been sitting on her bed like they had a million times. She had stared at his beautiful profile like she had a million times. Then, because she was _definitely_ not thinking straight, she had kissed him.

And he had kissed her back. Over and over again because, _gods_ , they had wanted to for so long and it had been like a year of pent up feelings were finally being released.

Shivers crawl down her spine at the memory of the kiss. She can’t get it out of her head and she doesn’t really want to. The ghost of his fingers push into her hair, travel down her back, and pull her closer and closer like he can’t get enough.

But nothing is coming together the way Rachel had hoped. They aren't doing all the things they already did now but kissing afterward. They aren’t doing these things because Percy disappeared on her.

He hasn’t spoken to her in a week. Whenever he sees her at camp, he ducks away to lead some activity. Rachel had tried talking to him in Arts and Crafts, but he had suddenly found “head counselor” responsibilities. 

Rachel always thought that when she got ghosted she’d be pissed off but she could only summon sadness, especially because Percy is her best friend.

Rachel sighs as she pulls herself out of her thoughts. At midafternoon, the sun dances on the water in a gleaming show. She plucks a stone from her pile and throws it out to the lake. 

It _sinks_. It doesn’t even attempt to skip, the stupid rock just sinks pathetically.

“Hey,”

A soft voice speaks to her. Rachel’s head whips to her left, where Annabeth’s familiar, bright, face is smiling at her. 

Rachel moves her rock pile for her to sit next to her. “Hi.”

Annabeth picks up a rock, squints her eyes, calculating the distance, then rears her arm back and skips the rock on the surface of the lake perfectly.

Rachel is transported back to a time when she was fifteen. When Annabeth was perfect and practically a goddess in her eyes. When she couldn’t measure up.

Of course, they’re eighteen and good friends now. Rachel isn't insecure anymore. 

Annabeth is the first to break the silence. Her voice is clear and confident. Her grey eyes bore holes in Rachel’s temple, so Rachel keeps staring out to the horizon.

“He loves you, you know?” She states, like it’s a basic fact of life. “He’s just afraid of admitting it.”

Rachel turns her head to face her, raising a skeptical eyebrow. She loves Percy, she loves him a lot, and she knows he loves her in another way. Rachel just isn’t so sure about what way. Him kissing her back had put a wrench in the mechanisms of her feelings, and him not talking to her afterward had jacked them up more.

“I don’t know,” Rachel mumbles, pushing insecurities from three years ago away. Her chin drops a bit as she picks with the hem of her shirt. “It’s just... _weird_. He’s my closest friend, Annabeth, and he seems very determined to never talk to me again.”

Annabeth rests her chin in her palm, her lips curling in an unexpected smile. “You really think Percy’s gonna let you go? With everything that’s happened? He’s just processing everything.”

“He told you?”

“Of course he told me,” she scoffs. “I could already tell something happened between you guys.”

Again, that spike of jealousy going through her chest. Annabeth must have sensed her jealousy because she bumps her shoulder. She seems perfectly at ease.

“I’m not attracted to Percy, Rachel.” Annabeth laughs as she says the words. Her tone is amused and sure of herself.

“I know.”

“I knew him through his awkward phase,” Annabeth smirks. “You think I could possibly be in love with him after knowing him through that mess? Absolutely not.”

Rachel laughs with her. Percy’s awkward phase had been a phase of hunched shoulders and nervous habits. She thought it had been cute.

Silence falls on the girls again. Annabeth seems at perfect peace as she makes the smooth rocks skip on the waters’ surface.

Rachel pulls on an auburn curl, deep in thought. Talking to Annabeth is like someone organizing her messy thoughts. The blonde's blunt logic helped, too.

“I just wish he knew,” she says. Annabeth cocks her head to the side, beckoning her to speak more. 

“I wish he knew how much I intend on not leaving him alone. I want to annoy him through college. I want him to share those playlists he’s always making with me, and I want to dance to them at one AM. I want to do everything that we already do now but I wish he _knew_ how much I love him while we do them. Because I love him. A lot.”

The words spill out of Rachel’s mouth, and there’s so much more Rachel wishes Percy knew. She wishes that he understood how capable he was of anything. She wishes he understood that she’s not just going to let him go. 

Honestly, Rachel just wishes he would talk to her.

Annabeth seems elated at the confession. She sits up and glances behind her. 

“Well, tell him, then.” She says eagerly. Rachel can hear the smirk in her voice. She rolls her eyes and tugs on a red curl again. 

“How the heck am I going to tell him, Annabeth? He refuses to talk to me. He won’t even stay within five feet of me!”

Annabeth stifles a smile. Before Rachel can ask why, Annabeth is standing up. 

“You already did, Rachel,” she says as she walks off. Rachel frowns and turns behind her to see Annabeth’s figure growing smaller and Percy standing at the very first wooden plank of the long dock. 

He’s far away enough that Rachel can’t make out the details of his profile. A loose green tank top hangs on his warm-toned brown skin, paired with cargo shorts. Rachel recognizes that tank top, it was a giveaway from an art exhibit she took him to. Jet black curls are falling on his forehead in their characteristic messy manner. Rachel turns back around.

“I’m mad at you,” she calls out, loud enough so he can hear her. The wooden planks creak under his step as he comes to sit next to her. “You wearing that tank isn’t gonna help that.”

Percy chuckles. Rachel has to physically stop herself from turning to watch his face light up. She’s determined not to look at him, instead staring straight ahead.

“I know.”

“Got anything to say? Anyone else to kiss then ghost for a _freakin’ week_?” Rachel’s words are angry, but her tone is sad. 

“I’m really sorry, Rache.” He sighs. “I...shouldn’t have done that. That wasn’t okay.”

Rachel sneaks a glance. His sea-green eyes are downcast, his legs dangle over the edge of the pier and his hands are folded. She doesn’t want to be mad at him. She can’t be mad at him.

“Fine,” she says, turning to face him. “Just...explain to me why you did that. I’m not mad, I just need to know.”

Percy meets her eyes. There are a thousand words and emotions that he’ll never be able to communicate to her swirling in those sea-green irises. Rachel kind of wants to kiss him again.

“I guess I just didn’t know-”

“You knew,” Rachel interrupts him mercilessly, pretending to check her nails nonchalantly. “You definitely knew.”

“If I didn’t love you, you’d be pretty annoying, Dare.”

“You, too, ghost boy.”

Percy grins at her and Rachel smiles back. The banter is a bit of relief in a really confusing time in their relationship, she’s grateful for it.

He continues where he left off, shooting a look at Rachel. “Okay, I knew I had feelings for you. I wouldn’t have kissed you back if I didn’t. I just...didn’t know how to deal with it. I think I was scared. We’re going to college and we still don’t know how this Oracle thing works out for you. I think if I tackled it head-on, the possibility of you…”

Rachel raises an eyebrow. “Dying?”, she supplies. “Going crazy? Being consumed by an ancient spirit until there’s no me left-”

“I think I get the point now, thank you,” Percy’s voice interrupts her, dry and humorless. 

“I just...I’m already emotionally attached to you or something.” The poor boy sounds exasperated. Rachel can’t help but smile despite the grim conversation. “I can’t fall in love with you just for something to happen because The Fates _really_ like testing me and I _really_ can’t lose you.”

Rachel doesn’t say anything at first, but she drops her head on his shoulder. He responds by wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She processes this. Understanding is beyond her at this point but empathy, Rachel can use.

“This doesn’t absolve you of my rage,” she begins slowly. Percy’s chest rises and falls with a silent laugh. “But I think I get it. And I’m sorry for just kissing you out of the blue like that.”

“Don’t be,” Percy hums. “It was...it was a good kiss.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Wanna makeout?”

Percy chokes on nothing and Rachel bursts into laughter at his incredulous expression. Her boisterous cackles fill the previously quiet air as Percy shoots her a dirty glare.

“You’re not funny,” he deadpans. Rachel grins devilishly at him, reaching over and flicking his nose mischievously. 

“You love me.”

“I do.”

Percy stares at her intensely as she comes to understand that he’s being real. 

“I love you,” he repeats quietly, for her ears only. Rachel feels like she can fly and sink at the same time. She realizes just how much she wanted to hear him say those three little words. So small, but so important.

Rachel reaches for his hand and dangles her feet over the edge of the pier. Her lips quirk up in a soft, genuine smile. As she searches his face, Rachel realizes that it’s a wonderful thing, being loved and knowing it.

“I love you too, Percy.”


End file.
